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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24862009">forelsket</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeyukii/pseuds/honeyukii'>honeyukii</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A3! (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Feelings Realization, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Probably ooc, generous seasoning of angst, idk how to tag stuff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 08:35:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,146</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24862009</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeyukii/pseuds/honeyukii</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>❛ “You don’t know what you do to me, do you?”</p><p>“No, but I’d love to find out.” ❜</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Settsu Banri/Usui Masumi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>52</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>forelsket</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Wanna go to a concert with me?” Banri asked, eyes fixated on the 8-bit pause screen illuminating their faces, light bouncing off of objects in the dimly lit room. Masumi sucked in a soft breath — one he could only pray Banri hadn’t noticed — and set down the controller with a gentle ‘<em>thump</em>’.</p><p>It wasn’t that he had anything against Banri’s company, nor spending time alone with him, but lately, being around the latter gave Masumi rather… strange feelings. An irregular heartbeat, sweaty palms, a rash-like flush that bloomed from the tips of his ears downwards whenever the two locked idle stares. Excusing it as being allergic to Banri himself would be a stretch, but Masumi had no other way of rationalizing it. If he asked for advice he’d probably be greeted with the answer of having some dumb crush, but how could that be possible? Masumi <em> loved </em> Izumi and her alone.</p><p>“What kind of concert?” Masumi asked when he realized that Banri was still awaiting his answer, glancing at him with interest. Banri sat up and dug through one of his pockets, pulling out two glossy tickets between the grip of his thumb and index finger. </p><p>“Some pop-punk gig,” he explained, holding the tickets out for Masumi to take. “They’re an underground band from University. I was gonna go with someone else, but they backed out last second.”</p><p>Masumi took the tickets and inspected them, narrowing his eyes to see better through the lack of proper light. “...And you’re asking me?” he questioned. Surely Banri had other people he could invite, probably closer to him than Masumi was. As much as he wished they could be something akin to best friends, there was always something in their way. “You couldn’t find anyone else to go?” he added, looking back up at Banri.</p><p>“You’re the first person I’ve asked,” Banri scoffed, picking up a half-empty soda can. “I mean, you’re into that sort of thing, right?” </p><p>Masumi ignored the question, his mind occupied with the thought of being Banri’s first choice — not that it should matter, but Masumi couldn’t deny the warmth that crept up his skin at the thought. Musing, he studied the former as he caught the rim of the can between his lips, tipping it back to take a sip of the luke-warm, probably flat beverage. It wasn’t special, but Banri looked best when doing mundane things, always making it appear as the smoothest thing in the world.</p><p>
  <em> Christ. Masumi needed to get his shit together. </em>
</p><p>“Post-rock and progressive are more my speed,” he admitted through a nonchalant shrug, setting the tickets down among the video games scattered on the coffee table. “But I’ll listen to anything heavy.” </p><p>Banri wiped his mouth with the back of his arm, setting the can back down and turning his attention to Masumi. “Then come with me,” he casually suggested. Masumi nearly cursed himself for letting the smirk on Banri’s face completely crash his train of thought, denying him a proper reply. “Unless you got other plans, of course.”</p><p>“Not really,” Masumi replied, quieter than before. He was overreacting. Banri was asking him to hang out as friends, not much different than what they were doing now, and certainly not as flustering as a date. (<em>Fuck </em> , would that come next? More importantly, was that something Masumi even <em> wanted </em>?) </p><p>“Then what’s stopping you?” Banri inquired in that laid-back way of his that made Masumi collapse upon himself entirely, the elder sinking back into the couch cushions, strands of hair splayed out across the backing.</p><p>This wasn’t normal. He wasn’t supposed to be so easily swooned by someone other than Izumi; he wasn’t supposed to go weak in the knees at the sound of someone else’s voice or their small quirks; his thoughts weren’t supposed to drift to daydreams about another. It was practically akin to cheating and left Masumi with an awful, lingering feeling of guilt. No one other than Izumi should have this effect on him or overtake his thoughts and lurk in the shadowy corners of his mind, but, intentionally or not, Banri had somehow found a way in. It confused him and yet…</p><p>“-sumi?” The sudden call of his name captured Masumi’s attention and pulled him from his thoughts, his violet eyes meeting Banri’s confused ones. “You good?” the elder asked, quick to pick up on the moment’s shift in tone, Masumi rapidly nodding in response.</p><p>“Yeah,” he said. “I’ll go.”</p><p> </p><p>───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────</p><p> </p><p>Banri was undeniably attractive (that much was obvious), but, captured in the moment by Masumi’s cautious gaze, he was the prettiest man alive. His hair framed his face in a picturesque way, light brown locks swaying and bouncing in tune with the up-tempo beat on stage as he smiled. At some point, Masumi had drowned out the music itself, unable to keep his eyes off Banri and all the little details of him. Such as the way he leaned forward to focus on the performance, gaze latched onto the sight and fingers tapping in time with the melody, Banri delicately wrapped up in the sound. </p><p>The tension was awkward, really. As close as they were right now (close enough to brush up against one another if they weren’t careful), Masumi found himself miles apart from Banri, his own conflicting feelings pulling him farther away anytime he considered crossing the line drawn between them. Maybe going out was a mistake, because now Masumi was seeing Banri in new ways, under hazy colors, and illuminated by fragmented streams of light, as though he were viewing him through the scattered shapes of a kaleidoscope. </p><p>It felt wrong in ways the rational part of him knew it shouldn’t. Masumi was so sure that he loved Izumi, positive that he wouldn’t find himself falling for any other, and yet here he was, wishing that he could find the willpower to reach out and push back Banri’s hair and watch his sapphire eyes sparkle under the stage lights. Maybe he was getting ahead of himself, but Masumi wanted to curl up in the reflections of the former’s soul and envelop himself in all that he was underneath the surface, to appreciate every unseen complexity that interlocked to create the Banri he’d yet to uncover. Not because he <em> could </em> , but because he <em> wanted </em> to — because he… </p><p>
  <em> Because he what? </em>
</p><p>The music, as subdued as it was while passing through Masumi’s ears, soon stopped as the band prepared for their final song, the lead singer giving a quick speech that fell upon deaf ears. It wasn’t that he didn’t care, but it was hard to focus when the subject of his daydreamy thoughts was right beside him.</p><p>“Having fun?” Banri whispered close enough to Masumi’s ear that he could feel his breath against his skin, catching him off guard as he glanced to face the elder. Masumi almost swore that Banri was purposefully teasing him to gain a reaction, worried that maybe he’d figured his crush out and was using the fact in his favor, but that was wishful thinking (though it’d make things a lot easier if he didn’t have to explain emotions not even he could comprehend).</p><p>Turning back, he watched the stage as a mellow song began to play, the instruments and the singer’s harmonic vocals coming together to form a soft, melancholic tune. “Mhm,” Masumi hummed, forcing the corners of his lips upwards to give a meek smile. “They’re good, I’ll have to check out more of their stuff when we get back.”</p><p>Banri grinned in agreement, his gaze not yet leaving Masumi, studying him as though he could tell something was amiss. Unlike most people Banri knew, Masumi wasn’t the easiest book to read. However, he didn’t think of it as a fault in Masumi’s design. If anything, it made him all the more eager to shatter the well-kept space between them slowly unravel the strings that held him tightly woven together. He sought to explore every inch of his heart, from the sunlit and shallow waters to the rough and murky depths where his cave of secrets lied — that was if Masumi would let him in. </p><p>“Wanna grab something to eat after this?” Banri asked, finally turning back to face the stage. “My treat.”</p><p>Masumi mulled it over for a moment, unsure about the prospect of spending even more time with Banri, though a part of him complained that he didn’t want the night to end so soon. “Yeah, that’d be cool,” he replied, gnawing on his bottom lip as he let himself float along the lulling waves of sound.</p><p>“Ya know,” Banri began midway through the chorus, a certain sincerity to his softened tone, “you can talk to me. We aren’t best friends, sure, but you don’t have to be so withdrawn. There are people who really care about you.” </p><p>Drawing in a soft breath, Masumi considered what Banri said. Had he made it too obvious that his mind was preoccupied, or was Banri more perceptive than he anticipated? Either way, there was something vaguely comforting about listening to him speak, a sense of concern lacing itself within carefully chosen words. “I could say the same to you,” he replied, gaze downcast. “No one’s going to shut you out, Banri; it’s okay to open up to others.”</p><p>The elder stayed silent for a moment, feeling a bit like a deer caught in the blinding gleam of headlights. “Really?” he said, the word falling from his lips as less of a question and more of a verbal shrug, understanding but not yet accepting. “This isn’t about me, though,” Banri added through a scoff, giving Masumi a half-hearted smile as he deflected the topic off of himself, much to Masumi’s chagrin.</p><p>“Then what is it about?” Masumi quietly asked, looking back to Banri who seemed robbed of an answer. Maybe it was foolish to let himself get so bold, to fall for him with reckless abandon and care more than he ever had for anyone else, but, in hindsight, he would rather foolishly adore Banri than foolishly embarrass himself for someone much older and much less interested. The line between them was fading and Masumi didn’t care anymore about the repercussions that overstepping it might bring. His infatuation with Izumi crumbled under the weight of his love for Banri and realizing that his initial devotion meant nothing in comparison, while hard to swallow, was so liberating. </p><p>Masumi pursed his lips, ready to dismiss all he thought he knew to take the plunge, right into the soul of Banri’s great lakes and oceans. The music surrounding them, while unnoticed, began to slow, the last few lines filling the room with its tender sound. “Banri, I… think that I-”.</p><p>The crowd roared with applause and hoots of praise as the final song closed, the mood abruptly killed as the room seemed to brighten, the band giving a few ‘thank you’s as they began to pick up their instruments. Masumi had wasted his chance and was hit with the urge once again to curse himself for being so idiotic.</p><p>“That was great,” Banri praised, going on as though the seconds prior were somehow lost on him, a distant memory rather than a moment shared between the two. He glanced at Masumi as he placed his hands in the pockets of his jacket, his manner relaxed and expression coy. Maybe he’d misunderstood before, but Masumi could’ve sworn he saw the walls separating them begin to crack. “Well, I’m hungry,” Banri continued. “Let’s go, yeah?”</p><p> </p><p>───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────</p><p> </p><p>The sky was dark by the time they left the ice cream shop they stopped at, the moon looming over their heads as the two ate spoonfuls of the sweet treat, making their way back to the dorms. A blanket of silence covered them, though, while neither could tell if it was awkward or not, there weren’t any attempts made to tear through it.</p><p>There was a mutual understanding, at least — a shared sense of sympathy for one another, one they didn’t need to voice to know was there. Masumi was growing antsy though, worried he might never get the chance to admit his feelings and now, with nothing to distract them other than the soft breeze cutting through and whispering by them, seemed just as good a time as any to let them out.</p><p>“Banri, about before…” Masumi began, almost startled by how loud his voice sounded in comparison to how quiet their little bubble had been. He stopped walking, drawing into his lungs the smallest of breaths in preparation. It was now or never, and even if the love he held wasn’t reciprocated, he could live with at least getting it off his chest. “There’s something I need to tell you.”</p><p>Banri halted in his tracks, the two standing side by side. Masumi would be lying if he said he didn’t feel silly for being so anxious, fiddling with his plastic spoon as he waited for some sort of reply, eyes fixated on the ground because, at this point, he couldn’t bear to face Banri. Confessing to him was somehow more terrifying than telling Izumi that he loved her — maybe because, this time around, his feelings were true.</p><p>“What is it?” Banri asked, averting his attention to Masumi. God, if he hadn’t been nervous before, having Banri’s sharp gaze settled on him made Masumi’s worry skyrocket. He could always play it off as something else and give a wildly different reply, avoiding the conversation and its awkwardness altogether, yet Masumi wasn’t one to hide his adoration for someone. If Banri didn’t feel the same, there was no way they could go back to how they were before Masumi opened his big mouth, but maybe that was a risk worth taking.</p><p>Exhaling a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding, Masumi closed his eyes, balled his fists at his sides, and shook off his fears. “I think that — no, I really like you,” he said, bolder than he meant to be, and the weight that had been dragging him down seemed to dissolve. “I didn’t realize it at first, but there’s no one I want to be with more than you — not Izumi or the girls who would chase me around or anyone else on Veludo Way. I love you, Banri, and you alone.”</p><p>For a second, Banri looked stunned, not yet replying and now Masumi wanted nothing more than to disappear into the gaps between the sidewalk slabs. Surely he’d gotten too confident and said too much, and here he stood, about to pay the price for popping open the cork on his heart and letting all the love brewing in it fizz out. </p><p>But then, without warning, he heard it — a warm giggle rose from within Banri, bubbling to the surface as he laughed into the back of his free hand. <em> Oh god, </em> Masumi really <em> was </em> pathetic and now Banri was laughing at his dumb confession, and probably laughing at him, too. Through that stupid smile of his that Masumi could write novels about his affinity for, Banri’s fit of amusement died down, and he looked at the former with the cheekiest of grins. “That was one helluva speech, but I kinda already knew,” he admitted while rubbing the back of his neck.</p><p>Wait<em> … what the hell? </em> Was Banri toying with him or had he really been <em>that </em>obvious all along?</p><p>“How?” Masumi inquired as he vaguely grimaced, brow pulled tight in confusion. “If you knew, why didn’t you say so?”</p><p>Banri hummed, expression twisting into something shyer, a look Masumi wouldn’t have expected to see on the elder. “It wasn’t hard to guess, you’re not very good at being discreet when you stare,” he said, but his tone was far from judgemental. “I only figured it out earlier, anyways, and I kinda wanted to hear it from you.” The simper on Banri’s face softened, his eyes still fixated on Masumi (who swore he was going to melt under them). “You were so serious, but it was cute — ridiculously stupid, but cute.”</p><p>Masumi wasn’t sure what to even say, but the wide-eyed look on his face said all that Banri needed to know. Banri thought he was cute… <em> cute. </em> For something so chaste, it certainly meant a lot, though it didn’t answer the question of Banri’s feelings for him. </p><p>“Do you feel the same?” Masumi asked, growing afraid that maybe it was just him and that Banri would never see him in the same light. He could try and live with that fact, but it’d probably make things between them awkward, and Masumi didn’t want to lose Banri’s company so easily, like sand slipping through the cracks between nimble fingers. That scared him to a point where saying anything in the first place seemed like child’s play in comparison to figuring out what he’d do if he got let down. Maybe he was overthinking, just a bit, but how could he stop himself from having doubts when Banri had yet to even re-</p><p><em> Oh… </em> Any doubt he had was cut through by the taste of Banri’s lips on his own, soft like clouds and sweet like the vanilla ice cream he held in his hand, his unoccupied one cupping Masumi’s cheek and oh <em> god</em>, he could swear he was seconds away from melting into a puddle of pure bliss. Closing his eyes, he leaned into the kiss and lost himself within it.</p><p>“Did that answer your question?” Banri shamelessly asked as he pulled away, looking at Masumi through fond eyes as a faint red bloomed on the apples of his cheeks. Masumi could’ve sworn he’d die on the spot, but his newfound wish to steal a gentle kiss of his own from Banri outweighed that.</p><p>Internally, he tore apart at the seams as he overflowed with pure excitement brought on by the revelation that, yes, his attraction was reciprocated and it was much more divine than he’d ever thought love could be. Masumi tilted his head a little as his eyes met Banri’s own, long past the initial embarrassment that came with catching glances (though the fluttery feelings remained). “You don’t know what you do to me, do you?” he softly replied, giving a wide smile of his own as he placed a hand on the border of Banri’s clothed chest, fingers resting on the curve of his collarbone.</p><p>“No, but I’d love to find out,” Banri sweetly whispered. Underneath a sky full of stars, their lips met once again, fitting like two pieces of the same puzzle as they fell into one another with ease, as though they were always meant to be together, perfectly tangled together like flowering vines.</p><p>And if they shyly held hands the rest of the way back, sneaking glances and stealing fits of laughter from each other, then that could remain their little secret — at least for the night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>my first contribution to the a3 fandom and its rarepair propaganda ... anyways, i hope you guys liked it !!! comments n kudos are much appreciated (and if you have any criticism, feel free to share ^^) !</p><p>twt: honeyukiis<br/>tumblr: pinupgallore</p></blockquote></div></div>
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